Digital marketing predictions for 2021 and beyond
2020 has given the world, as a whole, many challenges which have forced us to change, evolve and grow. 2021 and beyond is going to continue to challenge us in new ways and we as business owners need to ensure that we continue to evolve.
While businesses have always needed to evolve many have stayed doing the same thing they have always done.
Today more than ever there is no time to rest on this thought pattern. You run the risk of being left behind and ultimately a business casualty if you do not respond to the current climate.
While no one can guarantee what challenges we will all be faced with. It is a perfect time to rethink what we are currently doing or not doing.
Ultimately this will better prepare us for the future as business owners.
Marketing predictions for 2021 and beyond
Genuine, not a performance
It is time that many businesses realised that consumers are smart and will not be tricked so easily.
For your brand to be successful it must be genuine and authentic.
If you are going to include any social or environmental issues into your brand it must be true and real or people will soon see right through you. Without the truth, you run the real risk of being called out publically for your lack of authenticity.
Social and environmental issues are very real and not something to be exploited. When they are used they need to be more than just a token aspect of your marketing. If it is part of your brand find innovative ways for your customers and followers to join in with your efforts.
It is not enough to just support you need to show action.
Having a genuinely holistic approach to inclusion – A great representation of this is Modibodi and the way they have designed their underwear to include people with disability. They have created pants that can be undone at the side and easily removed for people with mobility restrictions. Their tag line is ‘Better support, better protection, better life’ also very inclusive and honest. Not to mention all their advertising is true, honest and incredibly inclusive on MANY levels.
Local and fast
While the world has faced many of the same challenges on every continent it has brought consumers back to supporting a local. Rather than looking internationally where delivery may have been delayed. We have all be prompted to shop local and support businesses that are nearby. ‘Shop Local’ ‘Shop Australian’ ‘Aussie Grown’
With this, we have also found that shopping local means that our delivery comes to us super fast and usually free.
If you are not offering free delivery you are losing sales.
Promote the fact that you are a local business. Share that you are Australian made, owned, created and produced. Consumers are looking for this more than ever before.
Along with this local experience, people want practical. Do your products and services truly meet peoples needs. The global pandemic has allowed us to reflect and rethink what really matters and to support those businesses that are nearby to support us.
User experience
If 2020 has shown us anything it has shown that we are all capable of change and adaptation.
While many may have previously been slow to take up technology, few were left with a choice in 2020 other than to embrace it.
2021 and beyond will continue to ensure that more and more of us are living our lives online and embracing technology. My 92-year-old neighbour is one person who has embraced using an iPad to email her friends and family.
From ordering the weekly food shop online through to speaking to our family via a video call, everyone has made changes.
Along with these changes and as people get more used to using technology for more things, the expectations for a great user experience will increase.
A better user experience will be demanded.
Gone must be the days of slow websites, desktop-only websites, confusing calls to action or poor shopping experiences online. Consumers are going to expect a great user experience from you or they will move onto another business that offers it.
Get personal
It has been relatively easy for some time to market directly to your ideal clients. Targeting ads that are aligned with our ideal client’s interests, remarking to people and ensuring you appear when and where your ideal clients are.
Now it is time to take it further and be as specific as possible to personalise the outcomes of your marketing efforts.
Across your emails, website, products and services they should all be personalised to match your ideal client’s needs and wants.
Video for eCommerce
People want to be able to view what you are selling in a way that is not just a flat image. Video provides this.
Infomercials have been doing this for years either live or via video and with a tag line to keep you watching ‘but wait there’s more’. These products are often very dull like knives or vacuums but with their use live in the video they are suddenly more interesting.
Many fashion retailers have added a video in conjunction with their still images. This allows the buyer to see how the clothing items sit and move as you move. This type of marketing makes the decision to buy a much easier one. Plus these videos are easy to share and promote across your social channels.
Using an influencer is another way your products can be shown through video as the influencer uses the item. Their followers see the use and can see that it may benefit them too.
Influencers
Why influencers are important. Just think of years gone by where your favourite movie star endorsed something, wore something or even drank something. You wanted to be like them!
Social media influencers are just the same however their platform is social media. Their followers/fans keep up to date with what they are doing and listen to what they promote or use.
The fact remains that they can be incredibly successful for themselves and for many brands. And they are not going anywhere.
Over the years there have been creators grow to many millions of followers. These influencers are not going to be where the average business needs to look. It is a large business who can afford to use them.
For small business – Now is the time of the micro-influencer!
With the influencer arena becoming busier it is vital to pick the right person for your brand, service, product or program. You can then reach the following of that influencer DIRECT!
The micro-influencer with 1000 to 100,000 followers is a great choice. These influencers have a community and can create messages that speak to the heart of their following. Their following wants to see things that they love to use, wear or experience.
Email remains one of the best ways to get your new offers, promotions and ideas in front of your ideal clients. It is the perfect way to stay top of mind.
The use of email will continue to be crucial in 2021 and beyond. How many emails have you been getting from your favourite businesses?
When you use email in conjunction with online marketing you are exposing your business to more people.
By integrating email marketing with your search engine optimisation (SEO), social media and paid advertising you are utilising an integrated channel plan for your marketing.
Integrated plan
It has always been important to cover many areas with your marketing efforts. For your business to appear in more than one place and remain top of mind to your ideal clients. With the use of several marketing integrations, you have a plan that can achieve far better results.
In 2021 and beyond you need to ensure that your business is appearing with the right messages and in the right places.
By knowing your ideal clients and the challenges they are facing you can deliver the right messages at the right times.
Now more than ever we need to make sure that our businesses are not left behind in the dust of our competitors and embrace growth. If you don’t grow and evolve as a business now you never will and your competitors will take over your clients. Now is not the time to be left behind.
What are you planning in 2021 and beyond?
If you need help with any or all of these areas, get in touch with Kelly @ My Sassy Business.
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